LA Bound - Round 2

Ok I am off to LA this week...yay!

This year, I am much more confident than last year.

1) I know my roommate this time. Kimberly and I are roomies again. Last year, we took a chance and roomed together after only knowing each other through our blogs (weird right?) This time, I know she is not really a hairy man in skivvies. I also know she doesn't snore. So I cant wait to see my wonderful friend. (who i just found out put me in her acknowledgements! That's right - me. Im moving up!)

2) I have gotten over my fear of meeting bloggers in person. It was such an amazing experience last year, that I have nothing to lose.

3) I have plans this time. yes I am soooo popular these days that I have plans already lined up. Some for breakfast, some for drinks (water of course :) and some for dinner. Ok sat night doesnt count b/c its the SCBWI party so EVERYONE is invited. But so far Im meeting Robin Mellom, Gretchen McNeil, Daisey Whitney, Suzanne Young, Stephanie Perkins, Kiersten White, Lisa Schroder (which still freaks me out b/c she's like one of my fav authors!), Lindsey leavitt, Sherrie Petersen, Carolina Valdez Miller, and Casey McCormick (who Im especially excited about meeting b/c she and Corey schwartz were two of my first followers long ago so I have a special place in my heart for them :) and more.

4) I got into the YA Master class. OMG I had been wanting this so bad. But they said I was a few down on the waiting list. So the chances were like 0%. I cant wait to hear Krista Marino, Random House/Delacorte, and her brilliance. editor for THE ALCHEMYST, THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH, THE MAZE RUNNER, and KING DORK. See what I mean?

5) A weekend away. Though I love my kids dearly, I need a small break. A weekend where I am not talking about boo boos, poops, lack of poops, wants, needs. And if I have to watch Backyardigans's Robot one more time, I'll scream.

So even though I wont' be here blogging much - I will come back with some great notes I'll share. I also have some great guest posts coming this week, so give them some love.

See you on the other side. :)

Call to Partay if you going to BEA or LA?

Yay - so it's official. I'm going to BEA and LA. NOt sure how long for BEA but I'm definitely going.

Can't wait.....

I love going to these places where book groupies hang out. The books, the knowledge, the energy, the people.

Mostly because I love all you guys and want to support all my blogger buddies who have books coming out at BEA and hang out with the masters of the business in LA.

Both are so worth the money! Plus BEA - can you say ARCS!

My goal is to set up some kind of happy hour at each place for bloggers or tweeters (or blogger/tweeter groupies :)

A Blogger Blowout. A Tweeter Throng (not to be confused with thong - look it up! ":)

So tell me, who is going to BEA and who is going to LA?

Leave me a comment so if/when I plan a Blogger Bash at each - you will be on the list.

PS ON a side note - my new business (marketing, book publicity) site is now up! Check it out!

What I learned in LA (outside of the amazing knowledge I have already shared)

• Friends you have met online are just as important to you as your friends in person. They know you so well. (heartfelt shout out to Kim, Katie, Lindsay, and SF Hardy)

• I love blogger buddies, they are even cooler in person. (shout out to Sherri, Lisa S, Christy, Elizabeth, Jess, Heather, Amanda, Suzanne, Jay, Shana, Jolie, Cindy P, Tammy Sauer, Cynthea Liu, LK)

• New friends that you connect to in a special way, that laugh at the same things you do, and that you will never forget are hard to find but when you find them, you know they are forever (shout out to Stephanie, Tyler, Bill, Graehm, and Paul)
  

• Agent and editors are people too. They can be cool if you let them. (special shout out to Marietta and Sarah!)

• I am a writer at heart. Always have and always will be.
  

• I will go to LA as much as I can. It is so worth it. IN more ways than I can possibly put into words. To be in a room full of book worms is very rewarding and now I know - I am not weird! Ok wait. I am weird so I guess I learned - you all are weird too!

• I have a short - no very short - attention span.

• My butt flattened from sitting in those chairs. I swear it is about an inch wider.

• Never wear your heels to the food court - one word - blisters. price you pay for looking good!

• SF Hardy takes good notes so I dont have to. Hope she lets me copy hers ;)

• Sometimes you learn more in the lobby than in the classrooms.

• Egmont's profits go to children's charities. They are technically a not-for-profit publisher.
  

• SCBWI rocks!

• I am inspired to write more.

• It is possible to sell a book and get published all within 6 months! (believe it! t happened per Wendy Loggia)

• Alot of writers are funny!

• The boys bathroom is a whole different universe that us girls will NEVER understand. nor would we want to (which of course would only be for a boy book research)

Pure brilliance!

SCBWI LA - Day 3

Today was a fun day! duh! I'll post pictures next week b/c Ive been using Katie's camera :)

I skipped the first session for a quiet coffee and laughs with Lindsay leavitt and Lisa Schroeder. I haven't changed. I do not feel cool unless I skip something. It's leftover from my school days. It makes me fee like a rebel! :)

Highlights:
1) I tripped in front of 921 people and screamed in a large room. This is not very surprising if you knew me.
2) I saw a man try to hand a manuscript to an agent. when she would not take it - he opened her laptop and put it inside.
3) after an editor said, " I do not take zombie books or board books" a guy asked this question: "Do you take zombie board books?" do we not get rejected enough that we have to ask for a double rejection?
4) someone saying to me - You look so cute in your blog picture (what not in person? :()
5) someone saying to me - your funny in person (what not on my blog?)


Holly Black - Fantasy

• Only a small combination of fear and awe separates fantasy and horror
• get the concrete stuff down - the real stuff must be real even though the fantastical elements surround it
• know your world - think about rules, system, formal policies vs informals, how does your world work. are their laws?
• World building - fantasy can resemble historical fiction b/c you have to convince readers must go to a place they have never been or where they can never go back, they feel like they've been there.
• Two types of logic - day logic - there are rules and everything is the same. You get the same results, it is a science; night logic - rules are unpredictable. you must know your rules.
• Two types of magic - closed magic is magic that is hidden (harry potter - real world doe snot know about wizard world); open magic - it is a part of life (Trueblood - everyone knows about vampires.)
• Fantasy has two story archs - fantastical and human. Human stories starts earlier and ends later than the fantastical story.

Elizabeth Law - Egmont

• Don't be afraid to talk to editors and agents
• Follow your strengths when you write - not the market or what you WANT to write. If you are good a PBs then don't do historical fiction o

Egmont

• 100 years in UK with no american branch
• new - the next Bloomsbury and Candlewick
• non profit publishing house - all profits go back into business and children's charities. (unique set up)
• children's book industry is stable and growing.
• competition among writers is tiff - alot of great writers out there
• use books as inspiration not a formula that you copy
• know why your book can sell and what the pitch is
• book scan - shows how book did in $
  

5 Tips

1. Social networking - publishers interested in social networking to reach readers. Get online and start your platform now. However, if you are not writing, you are online too much.
2. Voice - Voice is not enough in a story. You must HAVE a story.
3. Strengths - better to do what you do well than what you THINK you do well
4. Take control of career. It is ok to follow up with submissions after reasonable amount of time. usually 3 months.
   
5. don't complain - especially online. If i see something negative about someone, I wont take it

Goofs

1. don't write to trends. write what you are passionate about
2. dont change the age of your character to fit the market.
3. don't be afraid to talk to your agent.
4. take control of career

E.B. White quote: I wake up with the desire to improve the world or enjoy the world, this makes it hard to plan my day.

Richard Peck - Golden kite lunch

Sat next to Marietta from Nancy Galt agency. She was hilarious. I highly recommend her as an agent. down to earth and passionate. she is looking for all kids books especially if they have passion.

• Don't be afraid to take risks, we can not be fired, we are already unemployed.
• Kids create their own secret worlds the minute parents turn their backs, why not give them books.
• stories are roadmaps to show the illiterates out of town
• we are getting older, but somehow our readers stay the same age.
• all stories turn on an epiphany - when everything changes and you know you can't go back.
• You wonder if there is a boy down the hole if you can safe him. Can the story help? That is what we do, that is who we are.

Frank Portman - King Dork
(panel with his agent Steven Malk and editor Krista Marino/RH)

• He was a musician.
• Steven Malk heard him play and thought his songs were funny.
• His song titles include: Even Hitler has a girlfriend, King Dork etc
• Steven approached him about writing a book and invited Krista to hear him play.
• he wrote 30 pages of king dork and Steven sold it to Random House
• he is brilliant at marketing.
• Humiliation is key in promotion
• use all your contacts
• build relationships
• market your own books/be creative
• figure out who would like your work
• always be nice, friendly and approachable

Main points:

• take from everywhere in your life
• read a ton of books
• market your books hard
• find editor that gets you and your voice - they need to love it.
• put in time and beat the streets
• blog!!!
• use your connections
• remember the process is collaborative - don't be afraid to revise

Since this is the last night, we all went to dinner. me and katie, SF Hardy, Kimberly, Paul, Bill Cochran, Tyler, and Stephanie - great asian place with waterfalls.

hung outside and laughed until about 10:30 our time.

I leave tomorrow at 2pm for airport.

PS this conference is worth the money - if not for the classes and energy. But for the networking and meeting people.

PSS I met two editors who want to see my work when it goes on sub! yay!

Day in LA - Day 2

Today seemed like a longer day.

I think it was because I was not focused on my book so much.

Started out with a coffee meeting with Southern Breeze Region - shout out to Donna and Jo! :)

Met Sherry (Write it out) and Katie for breakfast.

First session was Karen Cushman -

Nuggets of Brilliance:
"I wrote because I couldn't dance."
* To focus on your writing, you need to:
* You have to show up - take time to fantasize, give power to your thoughts. Be present everyday.
* Pay attention - look around, stuff yourselves with sounds, words, images, conversations. Focus on what you love or hate - those bring out the deepest emotions and you get an honest reaction. Read blogs, interviews, books to learn about the market
* You must tell the truth - look for facts, do your research to add believability
make people connect through the realness of your book

Break out with Ari Lewin (Hyperion) - Acquisition process
1) read submissions. Agented only.
2) Take work to Editorial Board - everyone in department. She pitches book. Discuss book. what awards can they potentially get. what is the audience. what is the hook? when is best to put it out - what can we tie book promotion to (dates, events time of year etc).
3) Goes to Acquisitions - includes all publishers, sales, marketing and publicity. They can make or break a sale, especially in this economy. Goes in with flap copy to pitch. At this point, she does not yet call agent b/c she does not want to tip them off to any possible offer. They do not like auction situations. Fill out acquisitions form - what is the sell sentence.
4) Money - how many will sell. advance is based on that. Don't want advance too high so author can earn out advance.
5) Gives offer to agent - negotiates terms
6) sometimes takes right on, sometimes I do a noncontractual agreement which states what I think needs to be done to book for me to acquire it. If author agrees, they work on revisions with hope I will like it in the end.
7)Contract Request Form. Fill in for contract that has been accepted. Fill in subrights, rights, Lewin only gets 1 out of 7 manuscripts for various reason.

Earn out formula- retail price X royalty X # copies

Fyi on top contract clauses:
Look for option clause, high discount royalties, foreign rights, audio rights, Out of print clause.

Blogger buddies here is who I have met so far:
heather Hanson
Amanda Morgan
Cindy Pon
Cynthea Liu
Tammy sauer
LK Madigan
Lisa Shroeder
Shana Silverman
kathleen duey
Bill cochran
Christy Raeke
Jill Corogan
Suzanne Young
jess Jordon (finally :)
Sherry Peterson

Anica Rissci - Simon Pulse/Krista Marino (Delacorte) - Teen trends

*long series going away - buy very view open series; usually focus on trilogy, 2 books, quartets
* teens follow authors today, not series
* teens like reality-based but in fantastical ways (example Hunger Games, Twilight)
* No more Bitch Lit - dropping name brands on book
* teens like dark books right now. Not as much funny stuff.
* advances for large books staying high. advances for their authors - going down.
* saving money by doing digital galleys and digital catalogues
* Galleys cost 3 times more than books to make.

Wendy Loggia - Delacorte - 7 reasons she rejects a book
We have to be mean to be nice.
1) good writing but no story. No plot. heavy on telling.light on action. It is not EZ to reject a great manuscript when you see potential.
2) too similar to other novels on list or has worked on in past. If it is similar - it must be better.
3) unsure of who target audience/reader is? who do I market the book to?
4) If writer seems difficult or negative. Googles to find blogs and see if they are bashing fellow editors, agent friends, any of her books, authors, negative reviews or complaining about process. writers who belabor process. do not share anything about number of rejections online. If I know 20 houses have passed, I wonder why I should not pass.
5) love concept but cannot connect to voice
6) submitting too early - before work has been done
7) will not stand out on list.

I went outside and read with a glass of wine. Talked to Sarah Davies for a while.

Went to Blue Moon Party. Best costume went to an alien octopus (don't ask). Other costumes: blue man group, astronauts, aliens, blue butt

SCBWI LA - in a day

Book Update: Bright is backin hadns of Awesome Agent. Cross your fingers! I feel its done - I rewrote beginning and ending in addition to edits _ added material resulting in an additional 12,000 words. Now tween book is at 63,000.

Blogger Update: so far have met Christy (Juvenescance), sherry solvang(write it now), suzanne young, shana silverman, lisa schroeder. someone told me Jess jordon was here but we havent seen her yet.

It is 10 pm (LA time) and our day really just ended.

Went for breakfast this morning with Lindsey Leavitt, Katie Anderson, Sarah Francis Hardy, and Kimberly Derting. (SFH had the best egg pizza - yum! and LL had a tower of sticky buns!! Yum yum! Me? the healthy oatmeal boring. Tomorrow I am going all out :)

The morning started off with Sherman Alexie, author of ...Diary of Part Time Indian...

he was so funny. But under all the humor was a guy who turned his painful childhood into a dream existence. A kid with brain damage, bad vision, poor, lived on an Indian reservation. A kid who found a way to escape from his hard childhood with books.

Here are some of my "Ah ha" moments (for more detail you can go to scbwi's blog.)

"when you give a kid a book he naturally identifies with than you expect him to connect with it. But when you give a kid a book that is outside his normal comfort zone, and he finds a way to connect with it - that is when you begin changing the world."

"The power of books is amazing. They find a way yo the people that need them the most. Whether its 1 person or 100,000. Every book has the destiny to change at least one person."

"As a children's author - you must accept responsibility of writing for a young audience; prepare to be lonely because it is hard work, and know when you write it - it will impact people."

Next was David Weisner (Flotsam)

"He talked about the films and books that impacted his illustrations and writing. He showed a journey of how he got to Flotsam. How all of his books led up to that one."

"Writing is a personal journey. We don't write with a certain kid in mind. We write from our kid. From our hearts, experiences, and memory. Kids just happen to be touched by them."

"Think about all the stuff that you thought was cool when you were a kid. There is a story in each thing that stood out to you."

Ingrid Law - Savvy

Write with creativity and courage
Read the book "Spunk and bite"
Push voice further than you thought possible.
exercise: write a crazy sentence - then ask questions. This is how Savvy started - one crazy sentence and a bunch of questions.
Trust your instincts, be wild and playful, have a beginner's mind, be courageous, take risks, and don't be afraid to break the rules - you can always rein them in
pretend you are always a tourist and see things with a new eye.
be sure to look up when you walk around so you can observe the nuances of life

Sarah Davies - Greenhouse Literary (love her!!!)

world rights - all languages in world
world english rights - english language anywhere in world
hard to see Us fiction in UK. less space for YA market

Ways to spread international buzz:
Scouts - represent foreign publishers
Publishers marketplace - sign up and watch foreign right sales
understand foreign market
Pub weekly features on international authors
Bologna Frankfurt conferences/book fairs

Advice for global sales
consider world when you write
have market in mind
middle grade needs strong sales
YA fiction with unique voice and premise

Audio Books
1) primary - when they exploit own rights
2) secondary - sells rights to someone else

what helps international sales
global appeal
unique voice
Non fiction and PB do not sell as well as MG/YA
unusually ideas
awards/sales figures
love young boy fiction
concepts and setting that transcends cultures

see you tomorrow!

I'm here!

Just got into LA!

Whew my plane did not go down so I have to send a shout out to my guardian angel :)

Left this morning about 8am. Got here at noon. Who loves a time change! (I do! At least today I do!)

Luckily it was after my kids left with hubby for camp so the goodbye was not traumatic (for me that is). All the kids care about is if I am bringing them back anything. Daughter's request: ice cream sandwich (uh not going to happen) and son's - same as usual (truck. Oops A big truck!) My hubby always brings back great gifts for kids when he travels so I'll have to upstage him (not that it is a competition :) Since my hubby always seems to bring me either airport chocolate or free shampoo - who knows what he will get. ;)

Now that I am here - i've realized the following: I forgot my sunglasses so I had to buy 15$ pair. (how is that possible when going to LA?), forgot my camera! (again, how is that possible) and forgot my iPod (no music for 5 days?). I guess I was too busy packing 10 pairs of shoes (dont' ask. I will say I blame Katie at Plot this!) and 10 outfits (yes for 5 days. Again Katie's fault). hey if Delta is going to make me pay 15$ for a bag - I might as well take all I can. I think my bag weighed in at 51 lbs (*sigh*) so I had to throw out my contact saline solution to get it under the weight limit. (another sacrifice for fashion) Sad I know but at least I'll have wardrobe choices (I don't know if I said this but it is KATIE's fault! ;) Besides, for those who know me, I am forever spilling stuff on my shirt - coffee, salsa, or ketchub. It's true. So this is safer.

Flight was uneventful except the normal stuff - screaming baby, man in front leaning too far back threatening to kill my new MAC (yeah you heard me and no I refrained from taking him out), and 3.5 peanuts. No wonder I'm full.

BTW - why is it when you travel you feel hungrier than normal? Is it the altitude?

I think I saw the Grand Canyon from the window but its hard to tell at 30,000 feet up. I know it was a mountain though :)

Got here in the allotted time of 4 hours and 2 minutes (could they not just round up?).

So what have I seen so far? no agents to befriend, no editors clamoring for my book, and certainly no stars. *sigh*. I did see one of my regional advisors!!!! woot woot!! (Hey Donna!)

Now, I am sitting outside in shaded deck, overlooking pool, pretending to work (on free wireless!!!) so I don't look like a loser, and waiting for someone/anyone to recognize me from my blog photo or college mug shot - whichever comes first - beggars can't be choosers right? (Just kidding people! :)

I'm excited to get started and waiting for Kimberly to arrive in a couple hours. Ready to bask in brilliance, Ready to enjoy some time away from hustle and bustle of kids/schedules. Ready to meet new friends.

Blogging in the Dark?

OK so I am off to LA on Thursday!

Do yo know what that means? I will not be blogging until next tues or wed! I will pause to give you all a chance to boo at my extended absence and wonder how in the world you will get along without me and my brilliant rantings for 5 long days.

Are you done?

Seriously, I leave Thursday am and have no idea what to expect when I get there.

I am rooming with Kimberly Derting (other alias: Road to Publication, author of Body Finder) and I have never met her in person. Just on our blogs. A little scary right? I totally think we will have a blast. She is hilarious and I like to laugh.

I just hope she doesn't mind that I sleep in my BIRTHDAY SUIT

(Just kidding Kimberly!!!! ha! I thought that might get your attention!)

Seriously, I'm very excited to go, but petrified at the same time.

I am looking forward to seeing old friends and making new ones. Can't wait to learn and absorb some more writing energy. Take in some editor and agent brilliance. I think my writing energy gage is just about on Empty as we speak.

Now about the petrified part.

For starters, I have never been away from my kids for more than a day or two. What if something happens to me? What if I miss something? Wht if they can;t go to sleep at night b/c I am not hear to sing their lullabys (you would understand how tramatic this could be if you had heard my hubby sing! IN fact, we have a no singing rule in our house just for him. Sorry honey! :)

Now, for the other petrying part.

How do I feel about meeting my blogger friends - which category do they fit in? Excited or Petrified?

The other night, I watched Dating in the Dark (the degrees of shallowness are amazing to me) and felt like that is what I am heading into with my blogger buddies. Some of us have been conversing for about a year now and I have never met them in person. Unless you count me talking to the 1x1 photo in the upper left hand corner.

I've shared some of my deepest fears and best moments on my blog. I have read some very intimate posts from some of you. I have laughed and cried and screamed with many of my BBF (blogger buddies forever) over the last several months.

But the lights have been off.

But now, they come on. No more mystery, no more hiding. It's all out there. Now these people will meet me and see that yes I am this crazy in person. No it is not an act for my blog. We will graduate from little photo, the daily rantings, and funny comments -to the real world.

Then what?

What if I am not as funny?

What if I am not as cool?

What if they don't like my shoes?

What if I am not what they thought?

What if they don't like me?

What if I don't know what to say?

What if I don't recognize someone from their artsy photo but they recognize me from me boring one?

What if I don't know who they are because they're blog name is not on their name tag?

The horror!

What if at the end of it, I am left standing on the balcony waiting for them to come out and say - "yes we want to keep blogging with you!"

What if I come back to 0 followers, no one to tweet with, 0 comments??

What if I come back and hear nothing but....cricket cricket!

So I am off to LA to flip that switch and see if I pass the blogger-in-person test.

Wish me luck!

So have a great weekend. I'll be taking great notes and will post them next week.

I'm going in! See you on the other side!

Let's just hope I don't come back a dumped and single blogger who only rants about stuff everyone decides they don't want to hear.

Room with a view - LA Bound!

Marketing Muse - All Hands on Deck
Have you heard of "Tweet Deck"? It is an application that makesit easy to follow people on twitter. I love it. It organizes your tweets and if you want - you can put a tone so you know when a tweet comes in. INstead of going to twitter - you just view your Tweet Deck and can see everything from tweets, replies, to direct messages. Try it!


LA Bound

I've made the leap!

I am definitely going to LA this year for the SCBWI Summer Conference. I wanted to go last year but hemmed and hawed so I've already booked my hotel room at the conference rate. Room with a View!

And I found a great deal on Air Tran for about 300$ RT. What?!

Now I am just anxiously awaiting the schedule. I am up for a speaker role in LA, but not sure if it will pan out. We will see. Waiting to hear from Liz on that front. I'm already scheduled to speak at MidSouth this fall. Carolinas asked but it is the same weekend so I think I'll be doing that one in 2010.

Only bummer about the LA trip is that I have to take the red eye back on Sunday night. So I will miss Monday. Poop! Of course - my daughter's school starts early this year. And her first day in Big Girl Kindergarten is that same Monday. I cannot - will not - miss that.

So I'll be going in on Thursday morning to pal around and will have to jet out on the 10 pm Sunday - arriving at 5am Monday (please don't let it be late or cancelled!)

I'm feeling it this year. I am ready to put the investment into going. I am so excited and cant wait to meet some blogger friends. I know Suzanne Young is going as well as some others.

Who else is going? Leave me a comment and let me know. Maybe we can all have a meeting place. I feel like I know some of you so well. Its like Internet dating right. It'll be weird :)

Anyone looking for a roomy? I'm not sure yet if I am going to stay alone or with a roomy. Can't decide!

Doesn't matter. I have a room with a view and hope in my heart.